SMC accepts use of treatments for hypertension, breast cancer and restless legs syndrome
All five medicines assessed by the Scottish Medicines Consortium this month for use within NHS Scotland have been accepted, including treatments for hypertension, breast cancer and restless legs syndrome.
The SMC accepted the combination of olmesartan medoxomil and hydrochloro-thiazide
(PDF 30K) (Olmetec
Plus 20mg tablets; Sankyo) for the treatment of hypertension in patients
unable to tolerate an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor.
The combination treatment leads to no additional costs compared with
administration of olmesartan alone, the SMC says, and so is appropriate
for patients whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled by olemesartan
20mg monotherapy and for whom the addition of a thiazide diuretic is
an appropriate next step.
Letrozole (PDF 50K) (Femara;
Novartis) has been accepted for use within NHS Scotland for the adjuvant
treatment
of postmenopausal women with
hormone
receptor
positive invasive early breast cancer. It was accepted, the SMC says,
because its range of adverse effects differs from that of existing treatments.
In addition, the SMC accepted pramipexole (PDF 50K)
(Mirapexin; Boehringer-Ingelheim) 0.125mg, 0.250mg and 1mg tablets for
treating the symptoms of moderate
to severe idiopathic restless legs syndrome, fentanyl (PDF 30K)
(Durogesic DTrans; Janssen-Cilag) 12µg/hour transdermal patches
for chronic intractable pain due to non-malignant conditions and escitalopram
(PDF 50K) (Cipralex;
Lundbeck)
5mg, 10mg and 20mg tablets for generalised anxiety disorder where pharmacological
therapy is appropriate. |
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